Coin Collecting Tips

These coin collecting tips are just a summary of what we have learned so far. You can use them as a guide in deciding which area of coin collecting you may need to learn more about.

Follow the links to refresh your memory about something you have learned or perhaps to learn about something you may have missed.

Coin Collecting Tips:

Starting a Coin Collection doesn't have to be expensive. Save your money until you have learned the basics and then work your way up.

A great and inexpensive way to start your own coin collection is to check the coins in your pocket or purse before you spend them.

Find some coins or a series of coins that interests you.

"Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin!" - Find and buy a book about coins. Read it and study it. Learn all you can about the coin or series of coins that you are interested in before you spend your hard earned money.

Learn the Numeric Grading Scale (1-70). That way you will know the basics of grading your own coins. You have to know the grade of a coin before you can know the value.

Learn about the major third-party grading services (PCGS, NGC, ANACS, ICG) and what they do.

Find Other Coin Collectors to Learn From - While you can learn a great deal from books and the internet, in-person, one-on-one mentoring from someone who has been collecting for a while just cannot be beat.

When you are ready to buy coins, look for coins with as little wear as you can find. Look at lots of examples of your coin before you decide to purchase one.

Learn how to take good care of your coins so that they will increase in value. One mistake here could end up causing your coin to be worthless.

Learn the lingo - You will want to know what other coin collectors are talking about when they use words or phrases that are unique to numismatics.

And to learn what the different parts of a coin are called, you will want to check out the Anatomy of a Coin.

Be sure to ask family members and friends to keep an eye out for old or unique coins that might interest you.

Check out the FAQ section if you can't find the answer to a question you may have. If you don't see your question there, you can fill out the form at the bottom of the FAQs page to have your question answered.